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The  Species  of  Rumex 
Occurring  North  of  Mexico 

BY  WILLIAM  TRELEASE 

(FROM  THE  THIRD  ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  MISSOURI  BOTANICAL  GARDEN.) 
Issued  April  12,  1892. 


271,986 


SCIENTIFIC    PAPERS. 


A    REVISION    OF     THE     AMERICAN    SPECIES     OF    RUMEX 
OCCURRING  NORTH  OF  MEXICO. 

BY   WILLIAM   TRELEASE. 

The  following  revision  is  based  on  a  study  of  the  mater- 
ial contained  in  the  Engelmann,  Bernhardi,  and  general 
herbaria  of  the  Botanical  Garden,  and  in  the  herbaria  of 
Harvard  University,  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture,  Columbia  College  (including  the  Meisner 
herbarium),  and  the  California  Academy  of  Sciences,  and 
the  private  collections  of  Capt.  J.  Donnell  Smith,  Dr. 
Chas.  Mohr,  Mr.  W.  M.  Canby,  Mr.  I.  C.  Martindale,  Prof. 
Jos.  F.  James,  Mr.  A.  S.  Hitchcock  and  Mr.  H.  J.  Web- 
ber. Critical  species,  and  material  for  the  Garden  herba- 
rium, have  also  been  contributed  by  many  correspondents. 
My  cordial  thanks  are  hereby  tendered  all  who  have  thus 
aided  me;  and  I  have  particularly  to  thank  Professor 
Areschoug  of  the  Lund  University,  for  the  donation  of  a 
critical  set  of  Scandinavian  docks,  especially  rich  in  hybrids. 

Rumex  is  a  genus  which  has  been  held  to  include  from 
100  to  about  130  species,  the  greater  part  of  which  belong 
to  the  north  temperate  region  of  both  continents,  though 
a  considerable  number  occur  south  of  the  equator,  and  a 
few  reach  up  into  the  Arctic  regions.  The  principal  mono- 
graphs of  the  genus  are  by  Campdera,*  and  Meisner.  f 
For  the  general  synonymy  of  our  species,  I  have  contented 
myself  with  references  to  the  latter.  Of  the  twenty-one 


*  Monographic   des  Rumex,  Paris,  1819, —  a  paper  which  I  have  not 
seen. 

t  In  De  Candolle's  Prodromns,  siv.,  Paris,  1856,  41.    For  other  refer- 
ences see  Bentham  and  Hooker,  Gen.  Plant,  iii.  100. 
(74) 


REVISION   OF   RUMEX.  75 

species  recognized  by  me  as  occurring  within  our  flora, 
eleven  were  characterized  and  named  by  Linnaeus  in  the  first 
edition  of  the  Species  Plantarum,  and  only  five  have  been 
named  by  American  botanists.  As  a  rule,  though 
puzzling  to  the  novice,  they  are  well  marked,  and  I  have 
been  able  to  complete  my  revision  of  the  principal  American 
material  without  seeing  the  necessity  of  designating  any 
forms  as  new,  though  it  may  be  that  those  mentioned 
under  salicifolius  and  crispus  will  ultimately  demand  recog- 
nition as  separate  species.  As  illustrating  the  degree  to 
which  one  so  disposed  may  multiply  species,  it  may  be 
stated  that  in  a  very  limited  local  flora  (that  of  Lyon, 
France),  Gandoger  in  1875  {fide  Just,  iii,  685,)  described 
sixteen  new  species,  which  other  botanists  are  disposed  to 
consider  only  forms  or  hybrids  of  familiar  species.  The 
practice  of  applying  new  specific  names  to  known  hybrids 
is  also  calculated  to  increase  unwarrantably  the  enumerated 
species  of  a  given  region,  since  some  of  the  docks  and  sor- 
rels are  known  to  hybridize  quite  freely. 

One  of  our  twenty-one  species  is  merely  a  ballast  intro- 
duction ;  seven  others  are  Old  World  weeds  ;  two  (Acetosa 
and  salicifolius}  are  apparently  arctic-alpines  of  wide  dis- 
tribution, while  the  other  eleven  belong  essentially  to  the 
North  American  flora. 

Among  the  more  important  references  to  the  specific 
delimitation  of  docks,  aside  from  the  monographs  already 
referred  to,  should  be  noted:  —  Trimen,  various  papers  in 
Journal  of  Botany,  about  1873;  Haussknecht,  Oesterr. 
Bot.  Zeitschrift,  1876,  xxvi.  (Just,  1876,  part  2,  963  and 
988),andMittheil.  Geogr.  Ges.f.Thiiringen,Jena,  1884,  iii. 
56-79  (Just,  xii.  part  2,  592),  —  where  many  hybrids  are 
named  ;  Murbeck,  Beitr.  z.  Kenntn.  der  Flora  von  Siidbos- 
nien  u.  d.  Hercegovina,  in  Lunds  Universitets  Aarsskrift, 
1891,  xxvii.;  and  Rechinger,  Oesterr.  Bot.  Zeitschr.,  1891, 
400. 

The  chief  biological  interest  in  the  genus  comes  from 
the  protective  acidity  of  the  sorrels  and  some  docks  and  the 


76  MISSOURI   BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 

occurrence  of  tannin  and  a  bitter  principle  in  others ;  their 
protandry  and  exclusive  adaptation  to  wind  pollination  (c/. 
Miiller's  writings,  and  notes  by  Thomson  in  Trans.  Bot.  Soc. 
Edinburgh,  xiv.  105,  and  Tulberg  in  Bot.  Notiser,  1868, 
12)  ;  and  the  adaptation  of  the  greater  number  of  species 
to  wind  dissemination,  by  the  enlargement  of  the  inner  seg- 
ments of  the  perianth  during  ripening,  although  some  of 
those  with  fimbriate  valves  may  profit  by  attachment  to 
animals,  while  R.  Lappula  and  R.  hamatus  form  verita- 
ble burs,  as  Huth  has  shown  in  Bibl.  Bot.  1887,  No.  9,  p. 
13  (Just,  xv.  part  1,433).  Causation  of  sex  in  the  dioe- 
cious R.  Acelosella  is  discussed  by  Hoffmann  in  Bot.  Zeitung, 
xliii.  Chatin  describes  the  organogeny  of  the  androecium 
in  Comptes  Eend.  vol.  78,  254  (Just,  1874,  479).  Heraii 
considers  the  anatomy  of  the  stem,  in  Ann.  des  Sci.  Nat.  7 
ser.  ii.  283  and  286;  and  Hanstein  describes  the  mucilage 
glands  of  the  buds  in  some  cases  in  Bot.  Zeit.  1868,  699 
and  799.  The  occurrence  of  tannin  in  considerable 
quantities  is  considered  by  Bandelier  in  Verhandl.  Ge- 
sellsch.  f .  Erdkunde  zu  Berlin,  1885,  xii  (Just,  xiii.  part  2, 
234)  ;  and  Borscow  notes  the  presence  of  chrysophanic 
acid  in  the  roots,  in  Bot.  Zeit.  1874  (Just,  ii,  126,  834). 
Other  references  concerning  economic  products  and  prop- 
erties in  the  genus,  —  few  species  of  which  are  of  any  con- 
siderable economic  importance,  —  are  given  under  the 
several  species,  particularly  R.  hymenosepalus ,  and  the 
copious  indexes  of  such  pharmaceutical  periodicals  as  the 
American  Journal  of  Pharmacy. 

SYNOPSIS    OF    NORTH   AMERICAN   SPECIES. 

§  Acetosella.  —  Dioecious  ••  inner  segments  of  perianth  without  dorsal 
callosity,  not  reticulated,  not  larger  than  theachene:  foliage  acid. — 
Perennial. 

1.  R.  ACETOSELLA,  L. — A  span  to  exceptionally  a  foot  or 
two  high,  tufted,  propagating  by  creeping  roots;  leaves 
rarely  5  cm.  long,  oblanceolate,  acute,  the  lower  mostly 


REVISION    OF   RUMEX.  77 

hastate  with  a  large  decurrent  rarely  1-toothed  auricle  on 
each  side,  the  upper  gradually  reduced  and  entire  ;  panicle 
more  or  less  compound,  usually  reddish,  the  filiform 
ascending  branches  leafless ;  pedicels  capillary,  once  or 
twice  as  long  as  the  flower,  articulated  at  summit;  flowers 
about  1.5  mm.  the  outer  sepals  granular  ;  achene  four-fifths 
as  broad  as  long.  Sp.  i.  ( 1753),  338 ;  Meisner,  DC.  Prod, 
xiv.  63. —  Introduced  from  the  Old  World,  a  weed  every- 
where especially  in  dry  poor  soil.  —  Specimens  examined 
from  British  America  from  Prince  Edward's  Island  and 
Nova  Scotia  to  Vancouver  Island ;  and  from  Massachusetts, 
Ehode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, Maryland,  West  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  South 
Carolina,  Florida,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Ohio,  Minnesota, 
Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kansas, 
Colorado,  Texas,  and  California.  —  Plate  13. 

§§Acetosa- — Dioecious:  inner  segments  of  perianth  (valves)  rather 
finely  reticulated,  becoming  round-cordate  and  much  larger  than  the 
achene:  foliage  acid:  inflorescence  with  slender  leafless  branches. — 
Perennial. 

2.  R.  HASTATULUS,  Baldw.  —  Tufted,  mostly  a  foot  or 
two  high,  leaves  exceptionally  2.5x10  cm.,  oblong  or  ob- 
lanceolate,  obtuse  to  subacute,  some  of  them,  especially  on 
pistillate  plants, hastate  with  a  short  and  often  broad  spread- 
ing auricle  on  each  side;  panicle  mostly  ample  and  rather 
open  ;  pedicels  capillary,  once  or  twice  as  long  as  the  fruit,  ob- 
scurely articulated  below  the  middle  ;  valves  about  4  mm.  in 
diameter,  short  clawed,  sometimes  slightly  pointed,  without 
callosities,  the  middle  sometimes  papillate;  achene  1x1.5 
mm.— MuhL  Cat.  2  ed.  (1818),  37;  Elliott,  Sk.  Bot.  S. 
C.  and  Ga.  i.  (1821),  416;  Watson,  Bot.  King.  314.— 
R.  Engelmanni,  Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv.  64.  —  Sandy 
bluffs  and  fields,  Long  Island  to  Florida,  in  the  lower 
Mississippi  Valley,  and  in  Texas. —  Specimens  examined 
from  Aquebogue,  (Young,  1873),  and  Wading  River, 
Long  Island,  (Hitter,  1873,  1878),  New  Jersey,  (Smith, 


78  MISSOURI   BOTANICAL   GARDEN. 

1890),  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida, 
Alabama,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Indian 
Territory,  and  Texas,  one  collection  (Hall,  1872,  540  in  vari- 
ous herbaria)  with  sublinear  very  hastate  leaves. — Plate  14. 

3.  E.  GEYERI,  (Meisner).  —  Somewhat  tufted,  about  a 
foot  high;    leaves    exceptionally  3x9    cm.,    spatulate  to 
lanceolate  or  the  shortest  somewhat  elliptical-ovate,  obtuse 
or  acute,  very  gradually  narrowed  at  base,  neither  auriclecl 
nor    hastate;    inflorescence   rather   simple,   with  suberect 
branches  ;  pedicels  about  as  long  as  the  fruit,  jointed  toward 
the  base;  valves  about  4  mm.  in  diameter,  clawless,  some- 
times with  a  very  minute  rounded  basal  callosity;  achene 
1x2  mm. —  R.   Engelmanni,  /9     Geyeri,   Meisn.   in  DC- 
Prod.  xiv.  (1856)  64. — R.paucifolius,  Nutt.  Mss.,  Watson, 
Bot.    King.    (1871),  314.— Parks  etc.,  in  the  mountains, 
from  Wyoming  and  British  America  to  Colorado,  Utah,  and 
California.  —  Specimens  examined  from  N.  Kootanie  Pass, 
Brit.  Amer.  (Dawson,    1883),  Montana  (Flathead  Eiver, 
Nuttall),   Wyoming  (Hayden,    1860;    Parry,  1873,249; 
Forwood,  1881,  66),  Yellowstone  Park  (Lelterman,  1885; 
Rnowlton,  1888),  Colorado  (North  Park,  Sheldon,  1881, 
135),    Utah  (Watson,    1869,1054;    Porter,  1873),  Idaho 
(Hayden,    1871),   Washington   (SuksdorJ,    1883;   Bran- 
degee,    1883,  1068),  Oregon  (Geyer,  488;  Lyatt,  1860; 
Cronkhite,    1864;    Cusick,    1881,    984),    and    California 
(Brewer,  1863, 1696;  Lemmon,  1874,  711;  tihockley,  1886, 
495). —  Plate    15. 

4.  R.  ACETOSA,  L. —  Simple,    afoot    or  two  high,  fre- 
quently papillate  about  the  nodes    and   on  the  midrib  of 
leaves;  leaves  occasionally    4x10  cm.,    ovate   or  oblong- 
ovate,  mostly  obtuse,  deeply  cordate  with  commonly  acute 
auricles,  or  subsagittate,  a  small  tooth  sometimes  present 
on  each  auricle;  inflorescence  rather  simple  and  compact ; 
pedicels  about  as  long  as  the  fruit,  conspicuously  jointed  in 
the  middle ;  outer  sepals  of  pistillate  flowers  relatively  large, 


REVISION   OF   RUMEX.  79 

reflexed  even  in  flowering;  valves  orbicular,  5  mm.  in 
diameter,  clawless,  usually  with  a  delicate  callosity  at  base; 
acbene  1.2x2.5  mm.  —  Sp.  i.  (1753),  337;  Meisner,  DC. 
Prod,  xiv,  64.—  Apparently  indigenous  from  Labrador  to 
Lake  Superior,  Alaska,  and  Oregon;  and  introduced  from 
the  Old  World  at  a  few  points  in  the  Northern  States 
probably  as  a  waif  from  gardens,  in  which  it  is  sometimes 
cultivated  for  its  acid  foliage.  —  Specimens  examined  from 
Labrador  (Bryant,  1860),  Toronto  (Macoun,  1878)  and 
Point  aux  Pins,  Canada  (Macoun,  1869,  84),  N.  Shore 
L.  Superior  (Pitcher),  Quatcho  Lake  (Dawson,  1876), 
Morley  (Macoun,  1885),  and  Arctic  N.  A.  (Richardson  on 
Franklin  Exp.),  Alaska  (hb.  Dep.  Agr.),  Vancouver  Isl. 
(Macoun,  1887),  Oregon  (Hall,  1871,  442;  Howell,  1882), 
Charlotte,  Vt.  (Pringle,  1877,  1879),  Penn  Yan,  N.  Y. 
(  Wright),  and  Brookfield,  Pa.  (  Canby,  1862). — Plate  16. 

§§§  Lapathum. — Hermaphrodite  or  andro-monoecious:  inner  segments 
of  perianth  (valves)  commonly  reticulated,  becoming  round  or  elongated 
and  much  larger  than  the  achene :  leaves  only  exceptionally  acid,  never 
hastate :  inflorescence  with  stouter  sometimes  leafy  branches. —  Peren- 
nial except  H.  persicarioides  and  R.  bucephalophorus. 
*  Valves  at  most  very  minutely  erose  or  low-denticulate. 
-t-  Valves  very  large  (15  to  50  mm.  long),  mostly  rosy,  round  or  broadly 
ovate,  deeply  cordate,  without  callosities :  whorls    rather   remote 
but  overlapping  in  fruit :  outer  sepals  at  length  reflexed :  stipular 
sheaths  very  large  and  loose. 

5.  K.  VENOSDS,  Pursh. —  A  span  to  mostly  about  a  foot 
high  (from  deep-seated  thin  roots?),  branching  from  most 
of  the  axils  and  spreading,  glabrous;  leaves  firm,  not  wavy, 
at  most  5x10  cm.  elliptical  or  elliptical-ovate,  abruptly 
acute  at  both  ends;  inflorescence  nearly  simple,  leafless, 
the  short  zigzag  branches  divergent;  pedicels  rather  stout, 
about  as  long  as  the  fruit,  tumidly  jointed  below  the  middle  ; 
valves  rather  firm,  orbicular  or  broader  than  long,  20  to 
50  mm.  in  diameter,  the  sinus  often  closed,  emarginate  to 
shortly  blunt  acuminate;  achene  4x7  mm. —  Fl.  ii.  (1814), 
733  ;  Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv. —  Dry  sandy  soil  in  the  plains 


80  MISSOUEI    BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 

and  foot  hills,  British  Columbia  to  Oregon,  Nevada,  Da- 
kota and  Kansas. —  Specimens  examined  fromQu'Appelle 
(Macoun,  1879,  192  and  1534)  and  Swift  Current,  in 
British  America  (Macoun,  1884);  and  from  Washington 
(Brandegee,  1883,  1067;  Suksdorf,  1886,896),  Oregon 
(Spalding;  Buckley,  1855;  Lyall,  1860;  Howell,  1880 
and  1881;  Gusick,  1881,  983;  Henderson,  1886,  103), 
Montana  (Hayden,  1860;  Scribner,  1883,  247;  Tweedy, 
1888,  104),  Wyoming  (Hayden,  1853-4),  Dakota 
(Hayden,  1853;  Glatfelter,  1865,  376;  Vasey,  1868, 
499;  Ganby,  1883,  278;  Manning,  1884),  Nevada,  (An- 
del-son',  1865,  243;  Watson,  1868,  1048),  Utah  (Hayden, 
1859 ;  Jones,  1880,  1729),  Colorado  (Hall  and  Harbour, 
1862,495;  Parry,  1867,  186  ;  Brandegee,  1874;  Farwell, 
1890),  and  Kansas  (Damon,  1888;  Rellerman,  1889).— 
Plate  17.  Young  plants  distributed  from  Oregon  by  Howell 
in  1885  may  possibly  belong  here,  possibly  to  salicifolius. 

6.  R.  HYMENOSEPALUS,  Torr.  —  One  to  three  feet  high, 
from  a  cluster  of  deep-seated  Dahlia-like  tuberous  roots, 
subsimple,  papillate  to  glabrous,  often  red  ;  leaves  rather 
succulent,  more  or  less  wavy  margined,  often  5x20  cm. 
or  larger,  elliptical  to  oblanceolate,  obtuse  to  very  sharply 
acuminate,  the  acute  base  decurrent  on  the  short  thick  peti- 
oles ;  inflorescence  ample,  compound,  with  elongated  sub- 
erect  branches;  pedicels  slender,  about  as  long  as  the  fruit, 
less  tumidly  jointed  below  the  middle ;  valves  flexible,  ovate, 
about  10x15  mm.,  obtuse  to  subacute,  with  an  open  sinus; 
achene  3x5.3  mm.  — Bot.  Mex.  Bound.  Surv.  (1858),  177  ; 
Watson,  Bot.  Calif,  ii.  8,  479  ;  Parry,  Amer.  Nat.  ix.  350  ; 
Greene,  Am.  Nat.  xii.  175  ;  Havard,  Proc.  Nat.  Mus.  1885, 
525  ;  Vasey  &  Rose,  Contr.  Nat.  Herb.  i.  11 ;  Brandegee, 
PL  from  Baja,  204;  Rusby,  Drug.  Bull.  Nov.  1890.— .ft. 
Saxei,  Kell.  Pac.Rur.  Press,  1879;  JR.  Arizonicus,Entt., 
Trans.  N.  Y.  Acad.  v&?.  (1888),  73.  — Dry  soil  in  the 
plains  and  lower  mountains,  California  and  Lower  California 
to  Utah,  the  Indian  Territory,  and  Texas. — Specimens 


REVISION   OF   RDMEX.  81 

examined  from  California  (Bigelow,  1854;  Egloffstein, 
1854;  Brewer,  1863,  405;  Bolander  &  Kellogg,  1866; 
Vasey,  1880,  547,  and  1881;  Mrs.  Bush,  1880;  Pringle, 
1882;  Parish,  1882  &  1884,  678,  1888  ;  Brandegee,  1886; 
Basse,  1888),  Lower  California  (Palmer,  1889,  689,  829), 
Arizona  (Palmer,  1867,  224;  Lemmon,  1881,  281),  Utah 
(Mrs.  Thompson,  1872;  Parry,  1874,  246;  Palmer,  1877, 
422;  Jowes,  1880, 1643),  New  Mexico  (Fendler,  1847,  758; 
Wright,  1852,  1782;  Bandelier,  1882;  Matthews,  1883), 
Indian  Territory  (Palmer,  1868,  291),  and  Texas  (Thur- 
ber,  1855,  140;  Reverchon,  1882,  129). —  Plate  18. 

H-  -i-  Valves  small  or  medium  sized  (not  over  10  mm.long),  only  mod- 
erately if  at  all  cordate. 

•M-  Valves  round  or  very  broadly  ovate,  flexible,  low -reticulate :   pedi- 
cels slender  or  capillary :  stems  glabrous  except  in  E.  crispus. 

7.  R.  OCCIDENTALS,  S.  Wats. —  Mostly  two  or  three  feet 
high,  erect  or  abruptly  ascending,  rather  stout,  subsiraple  ; 
leaves  somewhat  fleshy,  glabrous,  glossy,  bluish  green,  wavy 
margined,  the  lower  ample  or  very  large,  ovate  or  mostly 
oblong-ovate,  truncately  cordate,  the  apex  rounded  to  sub- 
acute  ;  panicle  strict,  dense  and  rosy  in  fruit,  naked  or  with 
few  small  leaves  below;  whorls  somewhat  remote  but  over- 
lapping; pedicels  2  to  3  times  as  long  as  the  fruit,  very 
obscurely  and  not  tumidly  jointed  below  the  middle  ;  valves 
sometimes  rosy,  5  to  6  mm.  long  (exceptionally  7x9  mm.) 
deltoid-ovate,  often  only  slightly  cordate,  remotely  erose  or 
denticulate,  rounded  or  obtuse  at  apex,  without  callosities 
(but  one  midrib  occasionally  somewhat  thickened)  ;  achene 
2  to  2.5x4  mm.— Proc.  Amer.  Acad.  xii.  (1876),  253.— R. 
longifolius,  Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv.  44,  as  to  the  American 
plant  and  its  synonyms. —  Damp  or  rich  soil,  Labrador  to 
Alaska,  south  to  Canada,  California,  and  in  the  mountains 
to  Texas. — Specimens  examined  from  Labrador  (Siorer; 
Allen,  1882,  64),  Hudson's  Bay  (Bell,  1884),  Arctic 
America  (Richardson  on.  Franklin  Exp .),  Canada  (Allen, 
1881;  Macoun,  1883),  Saskatchewan  (Bourgeau,  1858)  and 


82  MISSOURI   BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 

various  points  in  British  Columbia ;  and  from  Alaska 
(Tiling,  1867,159;  Doll  &  Harrington,  1872;  Nelson, 
1877;  The  Albatross,  1888,  2),  Washington  (Suksdorf, 
1885,  604),  Oregon  (Lyall,  1858;  Howell,  1877,  355,  and 
1880),  California  (BlanMnship,  1891,  Mrs.  Austin, 
1880),  Idaho,  (Sandberg,  1887),  Montana  (  Canby,  1882), 
Nevada  (  Watson,  1868,  1049),  Utah  (  Ward,  1875,  411), 
Colorado  (Sail  &  Harbour,  1862,  158,  499;  Vasey, 
1868,  498;  Greene,  1870,352,  and  1871,548;  Engelmann, 
1874  and  1881 ;  Brandegee,  1877  ;  Trelease,  1891),  Arizona 
(Lemmon,  1882,  2879),  New  Mexico  (Fendler,  1847, 
759),  and  Texas  (Ravenel,  1869,  inhb.  Dep.  Agr. ) — Related 
to  R.  aquaticus,  L.  (which  was  collected  on  ballast  at 
Camden,  N.  J.,  in  1879  by  Mr.  Martindale). —Plate  19. 
Var.  NANUS  (Hook.),  R.  domesticus,  /9.  nanus,  Hook., 
Bot.  Bor.  Amer.  ii.  (1840),  129,  probably  comprises  the 
simpler  and  more  dwarf  purple-stemmed  plants  of  north- 
west Arctic  America  and  the  adjacent  islands,  which  have 
been  variously  referred  to  domesticus,  longifolius,  and 
arcticus.  They  have  commonly  rather  thick  and  succulent 
stems  and  subelliptical  leaves,  but  all  that  I  have  seen  are  too 
immature  for  satisfactory  determination  with  my  present 
knowledge  of  the  genus.  —  Specimens  referred  here  doubt- 
fully:—  Wright,  on  Ringgold  and  Rodgers  Exped. ;  Stejne- 
ger,  1882,  12,  and  1883,  50;  Doll,  1872;  Muir,  1881,  125 
and  217  (the  last  from  Siberia) ;  Murdoch,  1883;  and  8tr. 
Corwin,  1884. — A  very  similar  plant  in  hb.  California 
Academy  from  Golovnin  Bay  (  Yemans,  1884). 

8.  R.  PATIENTIA,  L.  —  Usually  about  three  leet  high, 
erect,  stout,  subsimple ;  leaves  acid,  usually  quite  wavy, 
ample  or  the  lowest  very  large,  ovate-lanceolate  and  ellip- 
tical, acute,  the  base  rounded  or  decurrently  acute,  the 
principal  veins  often  slightly  papillate  below;  panicle 
strict,  very  dense  in  fruit,  with  few  small  leaves ;  whorls 
compact  and  approximate ;  pedicels  nearly  twice  as  long 
as  the  fruit,  tumidly  jointed  near  the  base  or  below  the 


REVISION   OF   RUMEX.  83 

middle ;  valves  5  to  8  mm.  in  diameter,  orbicular 
or  broader  than  long,  conspicuously  cordate,  erose  or 
obtusely  low  dentate  below,  round  or  bluntly  short  acu- 
minate at  apex;  callosities  solitary  (exceptionally  wanting 
or  a  second  or  third  developed),  globose,  smooth,  rarely  1 
mm.  long;  achene  2x3.5  ram.  —  Sp.  i.  (1753),  333;  Meis- 
ner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv.  51. — Introduced  along  roadsides  and 
in  fields  at  various  points  in  the  Atlantic  States,  from 
Europe,  where  it  is  cultivated  for  its  acid  foliage  ;  possibly 
escaped  from  German  kitchen  gardens  in  its  American 
stations.  —  Specimens  examined  from  Saskatchewan  ( Ma- 
coun,  1872,  1030),  Ontario  (Macoun,  1874),  Ver- 
mont (Jesup,  1873),  Massachusetts  (Hitchcock,  1829; 
Tuckerman;  Jesup),  New  York  (Howe;  Brown,  1879,  on 
ballast),New  Jersey  ( Schre.nJc,  1879,  and  Martindale,  1880, 
on  ballast),  Pennsylvania  (Martindale,  1882),  Wisconsin 
(  Trelease,  1887),  Iowa  (Hitchcock),  Kansas  (Kellerman), 
and  Utah  (Jordan  Valley,  Watson,  1869,  1050), — the 
last  named  locality  quite  out  of  the  usual  range,  but  the 
plants  scarcely  anything  else.  —  Plate  20. 

9.  K.  BRITANNICA,  L.  —  Three  or  four  feet  high,  erect, 
stout,  at  length  considerably  branched ;  leaves  glabrous, 
little  undulate,  ample  or  the  lowest  very  large,  elliptical  to 
ovate  lanceolate,  decurrently  rounded  or  commonly  acute 
at  base,  the  apex  very  gradually  pointed;  panicle  few 
leaved,  ample,  rather  dense  in  fruit ;  whorls  rather  dense, 
remote  but  at  length  overlapping;  pedicels  about  twice  as 
long  as  the  fruit,  very  obscurely  and  not  tumidly  jointed 
toward  the  base;  valves  4x4.5  to  5x6  mm.,  round  ovate, 
scarcely  cordate,  remotely  erose  or  low-denticulate,  obtuse, 
their  lower  veins  sometimes  much  thickened  at  base  ;  callosi- 
ties 3,  subequal,  broad  and  low,  sometimes  wrinkled  on  the 
sides,  more  than  half  as  long  ;  achene  1.7x3. 5mm. —  Sp.  i. 
(1753),  334;  Gray.  Proc.  Amer.  Acad.  viii.  399.— .K. 
orbiculatus,  Gray,  various  editions  of  the  Manual. — Swamps, 
New  Brunswick  to  the  Lakes,  south  to  New  Jersey,  Illinois, 


84  MISSOURI   BOTANICAL   GARDEN. 

and  Iowa. —  Specimens  examined  from  New  Brunswick 
(Chalmers,  1876;  Fowler,  1870,  1871,  with  valves  evi- 
dently toothed  and  very  unequal  in  the  same  panicle,  some 
of  them  8  mm.  long),  Prince  Edward's  Island  ( Macoun, 
1888)  and  other  points  in  Canada  (Macoun,  1865,  1882, 
1888),  Maine  (Redfield,  1889),  New  Hampshire  (Blake, 
1861  ^Massachusetts  (Boott,  1864,  1866;  Robbins;  Jesup, 
1872,  1876;  Rhode  Island  (Gongdon,  1873,  1878),  Con- 
necticut (Eaton;  Potter),  New  York  (Torrey ;  Vasey, 
1882),  New  Jersey  (Austin,  1861;  Britton,  1887), 
Pennsylvania  (  Wolle,  1841,  47 ;  Garber),  Ohio  (Lea, 
no.  10),  Illinois  (  Vasey),  Michigan  (  Wright,  1838;  Rob- 
bins,  1863,  52),  Minnesota  (Douglass,  1891),  Wisconsin 
(Lapham,  1843;  Pammel,  1887),  and  Io\v&(  Arthur,  100; 
Hitch  cock  ).  —  Plate  21. 

10.  R.  CRISPUS,  L. —  A  couple  of  feet  high,  erect,  rather 
stout,  simple,  glabrous  to  slightly  papillate,  leaves  bluish 
green,  the  petiole  and  principal  veins  papillate,  very  wavy 
margined,  the  lowest  ample,  elliptical  to  mostly  oblong- 
lanceolate,  rather  obtuse,  rounded  or  decurrently  acutish 
at  base  ;  flowering  branches  rather  strict,  somewhat  leafy; 
whorls  dense  and  approximated ;  pedicels  about  one-half 
longer  than  the  fruit,  tumidly  jointed  near  the  base  ;  valves 
3  to  5  mm.  long,  round-ovate,  barely  cordate,  rounded  or 
with  a  broad  blunt  acuminatkm,  minutely  erose  or  ex- 
ceptionally broadly  dentate  below  ;  callosities  3,  subequal, 
or  two  smaller,  often  rosy,  smooth,  ovoid,  reaching  to  the 
middle  of  the  valve ;  achene  1.5x2.5  mm. — Sp.  i.  (1753), 
335;  Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv.  44. —  Roadsides,  pastures, 
etc.,  everywhere;  introduced  from  Europe. —  Specimens 
examined  from  various  points  in  Canada,  Maine,  Massa- 
chusetts, New  York,  Delaware,  Maryland,  District  of 
Columbia,  Virginia,  South  Carolina,  Alabama,  Florida 
(  Chapman),  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Indian  Territory,  Ohio, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Michigan,  Minnesota,  Wisconsin,  Iowa, 
Nebraska,  Colorado,  Utah  (Jones,  1879,  1183),  Wyoming? 


REVISION   OF   RUMEX.  85 

(Jones  JSxped.  273),  Idaho  (Sandberg,  1887,  75),  Van- 
couver Island  (Macoun,  1887),  and  California. — Plate  22. 
Slender  Californian  plants  with  crisp  sub-papillate  leaves, 
simple  elongated  panicles,  and  rather  large  valves,  one  of 
them  with  a  callosity,  referred  here  with  some  doubt,  occur 
as  follows  ill  the  Gray  herbarium. —  Monterey  (Brewer, 
1863,694);  Oakland?  (brewer,  1863,  2597);  Cambria 
(Palmer,  1876,  460  in  part,  some  of  the  specimens  being 
R.  pulcher  in  hb.  Dept.  Ag.),  and  San  Bernardino 
(Vasey,  1880). 

++    •*+  Valves  triangular-ovate  to  oblong,  sometimes  with  a  contracted 


~  Pedicels  long  and  slender  but  rigid,  abruptly  reflexed  near  the  base 
then  straight;  valves  rigid,  with  heavy  veins,  all  of  them  with 
elongated  wrinkled  callosities :  glabrous  throughout. 

11.  K.  VERTICILLATUS,  L. —  A  couple  of  feet  high  from 
a  cluster  of  short  conical  roots,  erect  or  quickly  ascending, 
or  occasionally  decumbent  and  rooting  at  the  nodes ;  rather 
slender,  subsimple ;  leaves  not  wavy,  the  lower  sometimes 
5x40  cm., lanceolate  or  mostly  oblong  lanceolate,  gradually 
acute  at  each  end;  petioles  spongy;  inflorescence  nearly 
leafless,  with  few  ascending  branches ;  whorls  dense,  very 
remote  below ;  pedicels  thrice  as  long  as  the  fruit,  tumidly 
jointed  close  to  the  base,  gradually  thickened  toward  the 
flower;  valves  4x4  to  5  mm.,  deltoid  to  subhastately  3 
lobed,  more  or  less  cuneate  at  base ;  callosities  1  mm. 
broad  and  as  long  as  the  valve  exclusive  of  its  apical  lobe ; 
achene  2x3.5  mm. —  Sp.  i.  (1753),  334;  Meisner,  DC. 
Prod.  xiv.  47. —  Swamps,  commonly  close  to  the  water, 
Canada  to  Florida,  Texas  and  Iowa. —  Specimens  examined 
from  Ontario  (Macoun,  1877,  1540),  Vermont  (Jesup, 
1873),  Massachusetts  (Jesup,  1875),  New  York  (Carey, 
1834;  Gray;  Boott,  1855;  Beck;  Sartwell),  Pennsylvania 
(Hb.  BernhardL),  Delaware  (0^7%,  1866),  Maryland, 
(Smith,  1879),  Florida  (Rugel,  1843  ;  Chapman;  Deane; 
Saurman,  1868;  Palmer,  1874;  Heeler;  Canby,  1889), 


86  MISSOURI    BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 

Alabama  (Mohr},  Louisiana  (Lindheimer,  1859  ;  Sale), 
Texas  (Wright;  Lindheimer,  1843,  93),  Ohio  (Riddell, 
1838),  Indiana  (Canby,  1862),  Illinois,  Michigan, 
(  Wright),  Wisconsin  (Hale,  1861 ;  Douglas),  and  Iowa. — 
Plate  23. 

=  =  Pedicels  shorter,  arcuately  recurved :  valves  more  flexible 
and  with  lighter  veins  except  in  Floridanus,  one  or  more  of  them 
with  elongated  callosities,  except  in  forms  of  altissimus. 

a.  Stem  often  glaucous,  especially  in  the  second:  leaves  pale  green, 
lanceolate,  minutely  crenulate- crisped,  not  undulate  nor  cor  date: 
inflorescence  nearly  leafless. — Glabrous  throughout. 

12.  R.  FLORIDANUS,  Meisner. —  A  couple  of  feet  high, 
slender,  simple  or  with  a  few  suberect  branches ;  leaves 
scarcely  over  1.5x8  crn.  (the  lowest  dying  early),  strongly 
crenulate,  lanceolate,  subacute;  panicle  leafless,  simple, 
the  few  branches  nearly  erect ;  whorls  very  dense,  the  lower 
remote,  the  upper  closely  approximated  ;  pedicels  rather 
stout,  once  or  twice  as  long  as  the  fruit,  in  the  former  case 
concealed,  tumidly  jointed  about  the  middle,  apophysate 
next  the  flower  ;  valves  3.5  to  4  mm.  long,  deltoid,  slightly 
blunt-pointed,  with  rather  heavy  veins ;  callosities  3,  sub- 
equal,  less  than  1  mm.  broad,  two-thirds  as  long  as  the 
valves,  finely  warty  and  somewhat  wrinkled;  achenel.Sx 
2.7  mm.  —  DC.  Prod.  xiv.  (1856),  46.  —  Known  to  me 
only  through  specimens  from  New  Orleans  (Joor,  1885)  and 
Pointe  a  la  Hache,  La.  (Langlois,  1880,  no.  135,  1884, 
and  1885,  no.  96),  but  presumably  extending  along  the 
Gulf  coast  to  Florida,  where  the  type  was  collected  by 
Rugel.  — Plate  24. 

The  inflorescence  is  suggestive  of  simple  forms  of  the  next 
species,  but  the  leaves  are  more  crenulate,  and  the  fruiting 
valves  are  as  heavily  veined  as  in  verticillatus,  to  which 
most  of  the  material  referred  here  by  collectors  apparently 


13.  R.   ALTISSIMUS,  Wood.  —  Two   or  three  feet   high 
from  one   or  several  long  conical  roots,  rather   slender, 


REVISION  OF  RUMEX.  87 

scarcely  clustered,  with  ascending  branches  at  or  after  flower- 
ing; leaves  as  much  as  7x20  cm.,  little  crenulate,  broadly 
lanceolate  to  ovate  lanceolate,  acute,  mostly  rounded  at 
base  ;  inflorescence  with  several  or  in  large  plants  numerous 
rather  divergent  branches,  at  length  congested;  whorls 
dense,  approximate;  pedicels  rather  slender,  about  as  long 
as  the  fruit,  tumidly  jointed  toward  or  near  the  base,  more 
conically  thickened;  valves  4x5  mm.,  deltoid,  sub-acute; 
callosities  3,  subequal  (or  occasionally  one  or  none), 
white,  wrinkled  and  pitted,  1  mm.  wide  and  two-thirds  as 
long  as  the  valve;  achene  1.8x3  mm.  —  Class  Book, 
(1847?),  477;  Gray,  Proc.  Amer.  Acad.  viii.  399.—  R. 
Britannica,  Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv.  47;  Gray,  Man- 
ual, editions  prior  to  the  6th,  not.  L.  fide  Gray.  1.  c.  — 
Rich  soil,  especially  near  brooks,  etc.,  Massachusetts  and 
New  York  to  Dakota,  south  to  the  District  of  Col- 
umbia, Nebraska,  and  Texas.  —  Specimens  examined 
from  Nahant,  Mass.  (Oakes,  as  R.  pallidus,  Bigelow), 
western  New  York  (  Olinfon,  1864),  Pennsylvania  (Porter, 
1857  ;  Garber,  1868),  Maryland  (Smith,  1881),  District  of 
Columbia  (  Ward,  1876,  1879;  Mohr,  1882),  West  Vir- 
ginia (Hertz,  1877  and  1878),  Ohio  (Frank,  1835;  Lea; 
James),  Indiana  (ex  hb.  Wood),  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
Dakota  (Geyer,  1839,  143;  Hayden,  1853;  Glatfelter, 
1865,  376  in  part),  Nebraska  (  Webber,  1886  ;  Holms,  1889), 
Kentucky,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Indian  Territory,  (Butler,  1877, 
6),  and  Texas?  (Reverchon,  1876;  Tweedy,  1880;  Jermy, 
149).  According  to  memoranda  on  a  St.  Louis  specimen 
in  the  Meisner  herbarium,  Meisner  regards  this  as  the  same 
as  R.  Claytonii,  Campdera ;  but  there  is  too  much  doubt 
concerning  this  point  for  me  to  displace  the  now  established 
name  given  by  Wood. —  Plate  25. 

14.  R.  SALICIFOLIUS,  Weinm.  —  Habit  and  aspect  of  the 
preceding  but  more  tufted  and  ascending;  leaves  rarely 
over  2.5  x  15  cm.,  lanceolate,  often  falcate,  acute  at  both 
ends ;  pedicels  scarcely  equalling  the  fruit  or  a  few  in  each 


88  MISSOURI    BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 

cluster  longer,  jointed  near  the  base;  valves  2  to  3x4 to  5 
mm.,  triangular  ovate,  acute,  more  delicately  veined;  cal- 
losities variable  in  number,  smooth  or  mostly  pitted,  often 
nearly  as  long  as  the  valve,  1  mm.  or  more  broad,  leaving 
typically  a  very  narrow  margin  on  each  side;  achene 
1.3  x  1.7  to  2.5  mm.  — Floral  1821,  28;  Meisner,  DC. 
Prod.  xiv.  47. — Arctic  "America  across  to  Alaska,  south  to 
New  Hampshire,  the  Great  Lakes,  and  in  the  mountains  to 
Southern  California  and  Mexico,  where  it  closely  approaches 
fi.  Mexicanus.  —  Specimens  examined  from  various  British 
American  points  between  New  Brunswick  and  Vancouver 
Island;  Alaska  (Tiling,  1867,  394);  and  Maine  (Boott, 
1861;  Band,  1888),  New  Hampshire  (Canby,  1866), 
Ashland,  Wisconsin  (Farwell,  1887),  Keweenaw  Co.,  Mich. 
(Farwell,  1890),  Western  Missouri!  (Bush,  1890),  Wash- 
ington, Oregon  (Hall,  1871,  441;  Lyall,  1858,  1860; 
Howell,  1882),  California, Montana  (Scribner,  1883,  246), 
Idaho,  Wyoming  (Forwood,  1882,  177),  Colorado,  Utah 
(Ward,  1875,  540;  Palmer,  1877,  421),  New  Mexico 
(Fendler,  1847,  760  and  761;  Rusby,  1880),  Arizona 
(  Coues  and  Palmer,  1865),  Nevada  (  Watson,  1868, 1051), 
Texas  (Merrill,  1886),  and  Lower  California  (Orcutt, 
1884).— Plate  26. 

As  here  accepted,  this  species  comprises  several  forms  so 
far  as  the  fruiting  valves  and  achenia  are  concerned.  The 
Asiatic  form  is  said  to  have  only  one  or  two  of  the  valves 
with  callosity.  In  this  respect  two  principal  American 
forms  may  be  distinguished: — a,  with  valves  deltoid  or 
abruptly  acuminate,  often  evidently  denticulate  below,  the 
margin  conspicuous  on  either  side  of  the  frequently  solitary 
callosity;  b,  with  valves  more  narrowly  triangular,  nearly 
or  quite  entire,  nearly  concealed  by  the  mostly  3  large 
callosities.  The  first  in  its  more  toothed  form  is  var. 
denticulatus,Torr.  Bot.  Mex.  Bound.  (1859),  178.  The 
second  in  its  most  pronounced  form  is  var.  angustifolius, 
Ledebour,  Fl.  Ross.  iii.  (1849),  504.  It  may  be  that 
these  forms  will  bear  separation,  even  from  the  Old  World 
type;  but  the  (frequently  young)  specimens  in  herbaria 


REVISION   OF   RUMEX.  89 

show  so  many  intermediate  forms  and  admit  of  so  poor  a 
geographical  delimitation,  that  I  cannot  find  good  grounds 
for  recognizing  more  than  a  single  species. 

A  more  zigzag  plant  with  broad  elliptical  rather  firm 
leaves  (3x8  cm.)  and  one  valve  almost  covered  by  the 
very  large  callosity  (1.5  to  2  x  3  to  4  mm.),  the  other  two 
naked,  occurs  from  Sta.  Cruz  Mountains  {Kellogg  & 
McLean,  1876,  597),  Sta.  Lucia  Mountains  (Brandegee, 
1885),  and  about  San  Francisco,  Cal.  (  Vasey,  1880,  545; 
Mrs.  Brandegee,  1882;  Blankinship,  1891).  Others  may 
consider  this  to  be  clearly  distinct,  but  I  leave  it  here  for 
the  present.  Kellogg  &  Harford,  1868,  867,  judging  from 
a  fragment  in  hb.  Gray.,  may  be  the  same. 

6.  Not  glaucous :  leaves  mostly  darker  green,  the  lower  broadly  ovate 
or  widest  above  the  middle,  undulate,  sometimes  cordate  or 
abruptly  rounded  at  base:  inflorescence  lax.  —  Plants  two  or  three 
feet  high. 

15.  E.  BERLANDIERI,  Meisner.  —  Erect  or  quickly  ascend- 
ing, glabrous  to  somewhat  papillate;  stem  rather  stout  and 
succulent,  mostly  reddish,  subsimple,  zigzag  above ;  leaves 
becoming  4x20  cm.,  spatulate  to  oblanceolate,  obtuse; 
panicles  terminal  and  axillary,  leafless  except  for  the 
main  axis,  the  branches  divergent  or  ascending;  whorls 
dense,  remote  except  above ;  pedicels  rather  stout,  about 
as  long  as  the  fruit,  tumidly  jointed  below  the  middle; 
valves  2.5  to  3  x3  to  4  mm.,  subtriangular,  erose  or  mostly 
with  three  or  four  very  evident  teeth  on  each  side 
towards  the  base  ;  callosities  mostly  3,  oblong,  wrinkled  on 
the  sides  below,  unequal,  the  larger  .7  mm.  wide,  extending 
beyond  the  middle  of  the  valve;  achene  1x2.3  mm. — 
DC.  Prod.  xiv.  (1856),  45.  —  Arizona  and  New  Mexico 
through  Texas  to  Mexico.  —  Specimens  examined  from 
Arizona  (Palmer,  1876,  638  ;  Evans,  1891),  New  Mexico 
(  Wright,  1851,  1781 ;  1852,  347,  1780),  Texas  (Bound. 
8urv.  1173;  Lindheimer,  1843;  Vasey,  1881;  Havard, 
1881,  111;  Miss  Croft,  115),  and  Mexico  (Mercier,  1828, 
115;  Berlandier,  885,  and  1831,  2315;  Palmer,  1880, 
1182).— Plate  27. 


90  MISSOURI   BOTANICAL   GARDEN. 

16.  K.  CONGLOMERATES,  Murray.  —  Mostly  clustered, 
slender  stemmed,  glabrous;  leaves  not  over  5x10  cm., 
ovate  or  mostly  oblong,  frequently  somewhat  fiddle  shaped, 
obtuse;  flowering  branches  slender,  at  length  elongated; 
not  zigzag,  ascending,  bearing  a  broadly  lanceolate  leaf  at 
nearly  every  node;  whorls  dense,  very  remote  except  at 
ends  of  branches  ;  pedicels  rather  slender,  about  as  long  as 
the  fruit,  tumidly  jointed  near  the  base;  valves  1.5x2.5 
mm.,  nearly  oblong,  obtuse  ;  callosities  mostly  3,  round  to 
ovoid,  very  prominent,  smooth  except  for  the  sides 
below,  where  they  pass  into  the  larger  veins,  half  as  long 
and  nearly  as  wide  as  the  valves;  achene  1.5x2  mm. — 
Prod.  Fl.  Goetting.  (1770),  52;  Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv. 
49. —  A  European  plant  introduced  sparingly  along  the 
Atlantic  Coast,  and  abundantly  in  California. —  Specimens 
examined  from  Virginia  (  Curtiss,  1872  ;  Dep.  Agr.,  1878), 
South  Carolina  (Ravenel},  and  various  parts  of  California 
(Palmer,  1875;  Rothrock,  1875,  64;  Parry  and  Lemmon 
1876,  372;  Greene,  1876,  970;  Hooker  and  Gray,  1877 ; 
Nevin,  1878;  James,  1879;  Vasey,  1880,  546;  Mrs. 
Brandegee,  1891 ;  Blankinship,  1891), — and  ballast  at  New 
York  (Brown,  1879,  12).  — Plate  28. 

K.  SANGUINEUS,  L. —  Habit  and  general  appearance  of  the 
last,  but  the  slender  flowering  branches  leafless,  and  one 
only  of  the  valves  with  a  large  round  callosity ;  veins  of 
leaves,  etc.,  typically  very  red. —  Sp.  i.  (1753),  334; 
Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  49. —  An  occasional  waif  in  the 
Atlantic  region,  seen  by  me  only  from  ballast  at  Philadel- 
phia (Martindale,  1880). —  A  form  destitute  of  the  red 
veining  (var.  viridis,  Smith)  from  Tuscaloosa,  Ala. 
(Smith,  1876),  and  on  ballast  near  Phildelphia  (Martin- 
dale,  1878),  and  at  N.  Y.  City  (Brown,  1879,  15). 

This  species  was  described  by  Linnaeus  as  from  "  Vir- 
ginia," but  there  is  little  doubt  that  it  is  a  native  of  Europe. 
What  has  frequently  passed  for  it  in  this  country  is  the 
red-veined  variety  of  R.  obtusifolius,  which  is  readily 


EE VISION   OF   KUMEX.  91 

recognized  from  its  large  ovate  leaves  not  at  all  constricted 
above  the  base,  and  its  large  strongly  toothed  valves,  much 
longer  than  the  callosity. 

*  *  Valves  very  prominently  toothed. 

17.  K.  PULCHER,   L. —  A  couple  of    feet   high;    stem 
rather  slender  but  firm,  zigzag  above,  branching  at  nearly 
every  node  or  at  length  dichotomous  above,  mostly  glabrous ; 
leaves  not  over    5x12  cm.,    minutely    crenulate   crisped, 
fiddle  shaped,  cordate,  obtuse  to  acute,  the  petiole  and  one 
or  both  surfaces  of  the  principal  veins  mostly  very  papil- 
late or  subvillous;  flowering  branches  simple,  divaricate, 
all  but  their  lowest  leaves  very  small;  whorls  dense  but 
remote  ;  pedicels  very  stout,  scarcely  larger  than  the  fruit, 
tumidly  jointed  in  the  middle ;  valves  rigid,  one  commonly 
larger  than  the  others,  heavily  veined,  3  to  4x5  mm.,  ovate, 
obtuse,  with  5  to  10  stout  teeth  on  each  side,  the  short  apex 
more  or  less  erose;  callosities  frequently  solitary,  1  mm. 
broad,  half  as  long  as  the  valve,  wrinkled  and  often  crested ; 
achene   1.5x2.5  mm. —  Sp.   i.    (1753),   336.  —  From  the 
Mediterranean  region,  introduced  in  dry  ground  along  the 
Atlantic  Coast,  especially  southwardly,  and  on  the  Pacific 
slope. —  Specimens    examined    from    Virginia    (Morong, 
1877;   Seaman,    1877;   Chickering,    1878;    Vasey,    1878, 
421),  Charleston,  S.  C.  (Hexamer  and  Maier,  1855,   22), 
Mobile,   Ala.  (Mohr,  1871,  1890),  Florida  (Chapman), 
Pointe  a  la  Hache,  La.  (Langlois,  1883),  Nevada  (Engel- 
mann,  1880),  Oregon  (Howell,  1887,  712),  and  California 
(Torrey,  1865,  422;    Palmer,  1876,  460  in  part;  Hilgard, 
1891;  Blankinship,  1891).     Ballast  specimens   also  from 
New  York  (Brown)  and  Camden,  N.  J.  (Parker,  1879; 
Martindale,  1879,  1880.)  — Plate  29. 

18.  R.  OBTUSIFOLIUS,  L. — Two  or  three  feet  high,  erect; 
stem   usually  and   sometimes  strongly    papillate;    leaves 
somewhat  undulate,  ample  or  the  lowest  very  large,  broadly 
ovate,  cordate,  frequently  acute,  the  often   purple  veins 
papillate,  especially  beneath ;  flowering  branches  sub-erect, 


92  MISSOURI  BOTANICAL   GARDEN. 

sparingly  leafy  below ;  lower  whorls  loose  and  rather  re- 
mote ;  pedicels  slender,  about  twice  as  long  as  the  fruit, 
tumidly  jointed  toward  the  base,  valves  flexible,  not  very 
heavily  veined,  2  to  3x4  to  5  mm.,  ovate-oblong,  with  3  to 
5  thin  triangular  teeth  on  each  side,  mostly  confined  to  the 
lower  half  or  two-thirds,  the  triangular  entire  apex  mostly 
acute  ;  callosities  smooth,  ovoid,  scarcely  reaching  the  mid- 
dle of  the  valve,  the  largest  one  about  1  mm.  broad,  the 
other  two  usually  very  small;  achene  1.3x2.2  mm. —  Sp. 
i.  (1753),  335  ;  Meisner,  DC.  Prod.  xiv.  53. —  Eoadsides, 
pastures,  etc.,  everywhere  in  the  East;  introduced  from 
Europe.  —  Specimens  examined  from  points  in  Canada, 
Maine,  Massachusetts,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Delaware, 
District  of  Columbia,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Florida, 
Louisiana,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Illi- 
nois, Tennessee,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Kansas,  Idaho,  Arkansas 
(Bigelow  on  Whipple's  Exped.),  Texas,  (Reverchon,  1874), 
Oregon  (Kellogg  and  Harford,  1869,  869).  — Plate  30. 

Var.  DISCOLOR,  Wallroth,  with  the  stem  purple  and  the 
leaves  very  red  veined,  like  beet  leaves,  is  only  an  extreme 
color  form  often  not  distinguishable  in  herbarium  specimens. 
What  is  probably  that,  examined  from  Nova  Scotia 
(Macoun,  1883),  Vancouver  Island  (Macoun,  1887)  and 
California  (Kellogg ,  1866).  This  appears  to  comprise  the 
greater  part  of  the  R.  sanguineus  of  American  collectors. 

A  hybrid  of  obtusifolius  with  crispus  occurs  quite  fre- 
quently about  St.  Louis  (c/.  Meisner,  DC.  Prod,  xiv,  54), 
intermingled  with  the  parent  forms  or  in  the  vicinity  of 
one  or  the  other.  From  the  first,  it  differs  in  the  decided 
blue  green  color  of  the  leaves,  the  somewhat  greater  undula- 
tion of  their  margin,  and  the  narrower  outline  of  all  but 
the  lowermost,  and  in  its  variable  fruiting  valves  being  of 
unequal  size,  often  broader  than  long,  the  lower  two-thirds 
abruptly  dilated  and  with  4  to  5  short  acute  teeth  on  each 
side,  often  unequally  grown  together,  the  three  valves 
bearing  prominent  callosities.  From  crispus  it  differs  in  the 
more  compound  and  lax  panicle,  broader  lower  leaves,  and 


REVISION   OF   RUMEX.  93 

deltoid  or  almost  3-lobed  sharply  toothed  valves.  It  is 
found  also  in  other  localities,  and  may  usually  be  recognized 
from  a  distance  owing  to  the  ragged  appearance  of  the 
inflorescence,  only  a  small  percentage  of  the  flowers  en- 
larging (and  fewer  yet  developing  seed),  so  that  the  fruit- 
ing valves  appear  abnormally  large  by  contrast,  while  they 
persist  after  the  falling  of  the  undeveloped  flowers. 

So  far  as  I  can  determine,  this  is  R.  acutus,  L.  =  R. 
pratensis,  M.  &  K.,  which  occurs  throughout  northern  Eu- 
rope (where  it  is  often  sterile),  and  is  now  generally  admitted 
to  be  a  hybrid  of  the  two  species  named.  Belated  but  dis- 
tinguishable hybrids  are  the  Scandinavian  R.  conspersus, 
Hornem. ,  R.platyphyllos,  F.  W.  Aresch. ,  and  R.  propinquus, 
J.  E.  Areschoug,  —  on  all  of  which  see  F.  W.  Areschoug 
in  Ofvers.  K.  Vet.  Akad.  Forh.,  1862,  57-76  with  plate  3. 
American  specimens  have  been  examined  from  numerous 
localities  in  and  about  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Belleville,  111.,  North 
Manitou  Isl.,  L.  Mich.  (Mrs.  Wislizenus),  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 
(Dudley,  1883,  114),  Amherst,  Mass.  (Jesup,  1871),  and 
Washington,  D.  C.  (  Ward,  1884).— Plate  31. 

19.  K.  PERSIC ARIOIDES,  L. — Annual,  a  span  to  mostly 
a  couple  of  feet  high,  slender  to  thick  but  soft  stemmed," 
the  larger  plants  branching  from  the  base  and  often  pros- 
trate and  rooting  at  the  nodes,  soon  fistulous,  subglabrous 
to  mostly  papillate-villous ;  leaves  pale  green,  usually  un- 
dulate, the  largest  3x18  cm.,  lanceolate,  mostly  acute,  the 
base  commonly  truncate,  rounded  or  subcordate,  papillate 
beneath  on  the  principal  veins  ;  panicles  leafy,  axillary  and 
terminal,  the  very  dense  whorls  crowded  to  quite  remote; 
pedicels  capillary,  scarcely  twice  as  long  as  the  fruit,  tumidly 
jointed  at  base;  valves  1.5x2.5  mm.,  equalled  in  length  by 
the  2  or  3  bristle-form  teeth  on  each  side,  the  apex  acutely 
produced  but  not  bristle  tipped;  callosities  3,  subequal, 
smooth,  .3  to  .4  mm.  broad,  compressed  from  the  sides, 
nearly  as  long  as  the  body  of  the  valve;  achene  .6x1.2 
mm. —  Sp.  i.  (1753),  335.  —  R.  maritimus  of  most  recent 


94  MISSOURI  BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 

writers  on  American  botany. — Wet  sand  along  the  sea- 
coast  of  the  northern  Atlantic  States,  about  salt  springs  at 
various  points  in  the  interior,  and  on  river  banks,  beaches, 
etc.,  across  British  America,  extending  south  ward  to  Illinois, 
southern  Calif  ornia  and  Mexico. — Specimens  examined  from 
various  points  in  British  America,  and  from  Massachusetts, 
Rhode  Island,  New  Jersey,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  Iowa, 
Nebraska,  Dakota,  Montana,  Idaho,  Yellowstone  Park, 
Colorado,  New  Mexico,  Nevada,  California,  Oregon  and 
Washington.  —  Plate  32. 

The  usual  form,  with  narrow  collosities  and  much 
elongated  bristles,  differs  from  the  European  R.  maritimus 
only  in  the  frequent  wavy  margin  and  obtuse  base  of  the 
leaves  and  the  occasional  development  of  a  third  bristle  on 
each  side  of  the  valves ;  and  a  few  sea-shore  specimens 
apparently  belong  to  the  normal  form  of  the  latter.  If  it 
is  kept  apart  from  the  European  plant,  it  must  bear  the 
name  here  employed,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  is 
as  distinct  as  most  Old  World  species  of  the  maritimus 
group.  But  in  any  event,  if  precedence  on  a  given  page  is 
held  to  establish  the  priority  of  one  name  over  another, 
persicarioides  has  precedence  over  maritimus. 

R.  crispatulus,  Michx.,  Fl.  i.  (1803),  217,  is  the  form 
with  broadest  most  wavy  leaves,  more  naked  inflorescence, 
and  larger  valves,  only  two  of  them  bearing  unequal 
callosities ;  but  a  study  of  the  many  forms  growing  inter- 
mingled about  St.  Louis,  has  not  shown  the  wisdom  of 
maintaining  it  even  as  a  variety. 

A  specimen  from  Washington  (Suksdorf,  1889,  943), 
has  nearly  entire  valves,  but  the  usual  form  occurs  under 
the  same  number  ;  and  a  very  similar  plant  is  R.  salicifolius, 
var.  (?)  of  Watson,  Bot.  King.  314,  from  Nevada  (  Wat- 
son, 1868, 1052). 

R.  BUCEPHALOPHORUS,  L.  —  Annual,  a  span  or  two  high, 
spreading,  slender,  simple  or  with  few  subequal  branches, 
glabrous  and  apparently  somewhat  glaucous  ;  leaves  scarcely 


REVISION   OF   RUMEX.  95 

1.5x2  cm.,  rhombic  ovate  to  oblanceolate,  obtuse  to  acute, 
cuneate,  not  wavy,  reduced  and  ultimately  obsolete  on  the 
branches ;  flowers  in  the  upper  axils,  forming  slender  spike- 
like  racemes,  few  in  a  whorl;  pedicels  once  or  twice  as  long 
as  the  fruit,  at  length  much  dilated  and  involute  above  so 
as  to  appear  clavate,  jointed  below  the  middle,  frequently 
papillate;  outer  sepals  rather  large,  reflexed  or  arcuately 
spreading;  valves  1x2  mm.,  somewhat  3-nerved,  with  a 
few  transverse  veins,  acute  or  acutish,  with  about  3  broad 
hooked  teeth  on  each  side;  callosities  3,  minute,  basal, 
acute  margined  ;  achene  .7x1.3  mm. —  Sp.  i.  (1753),  336; 
Steinheil,  Ann.  Sc.  Nat.  2  ser.  ix.  193,  pi.  7;  Meisner, 
DC.  Prod.  xiv.  62. —  A  Mediterranean  species  of  some- 
what the  habit  of  Acelosa,  represented  by  a  single  collec- 
tion from  Louisiana  (Port  Eads,  May  6,  1885,  Langlois, 
110.  95  and  134).  —Plate  33. 


96  MISSOURI   BOTANICAL    GARDEN. 


EXPLANATION    OF   PLATES  ILLUSTKATING    THE    NORTH 
AMERICAN    SPECIES    OF    RUMEX. 

The  figures  were  drawn,  under  supervision  of  the  author, 
by  Mrs.  J.  C.  Duffey  and  Miss  Grace  E.  Johnson,  whose 
signatures  indicate  the  plates  drawn  by  each.  Nos.  13,  14, 
22,  23,  25,  28,  30,  31  and  32  are  from  living  plants;  the 
remainder,  from  herbarium  specimens.  Illustrations  of 
fruit  are  from  drawings  by  the  author. 

Plate  13,  ft.  Acetosella  L. —  Bather  large  plant,  reduced 
to  half  size;  and  fruit,  inclosed  in  calyx,  x  8. 

Plate  14,  R.  hastatulus,  Baldw. — Staminate  and  pistil- 
late plants,  half  size;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size;  fruit, 
x  4  ;  achenium,  x  8. 

Plate  15,7?.  Geyeri  (Meisn.). —  Staminate  and  pistillate 
plants,  one-sixth  size ;  leaves  and  fruiting  branch,  natural 
size  ;  fruit,  x  4 ;  achenium,  x  8. 

Plate  16,  R.  Acetosa,  L. — Staminate  and  pistillate  plants, 
one-sixth  size;  leaf  and  fruiting  branch,  natural  size;  fruit, 
x  4;  achenium,  x  8. 

Plate  17,  R.  venosus,  Psh. —  Habit,  one-sixth  size; 
leaves  and  fruit,  natural  size  ;  achenium,  x  8. 

Plate  18,  R.  hymenosepalus,  Torr. —  Roots  and  habit, 
one-sixth  size  ;  leaf,  half  size ;  fruit,  natural  size  ;  achenium, 
x8. 

Plate  19,  R.  occidentalism  Wats. —  Habit,  one-sixth  size; 
leaf,  half  size  ;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size  ;  achenium, 
x8. 

Plate  20,  R.  Patientia,  L. —  Habit,  one-sixth  size  ;  leaf, 
half  size;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size;  achenium,  x  8. 

Plate  21,  R.  Britannica,  L. —  Habit,  one-sixth  size; 
leaf,  half  size;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size;  fruit,  x  4; 
achenium,  x  8. 

Plate  22,    R.  crispus,  L. —  Habit,  one-sixth  size;  leaf, 


EXPLANATION   OF  PLATES.  97 

half  size;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size;  fruit,  x  4;   ache- 
mum,  x  8. 

Plate  23,  R.  verticittatus,  L.  —  Habit,  one-sixth  size  ; 
root  and  leaf,  half  size  ;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size  ;  fruit, 
x4;  achenium,  x8. 

Plate  24,  R.  Floridanus,  Meisn.  —  Habit,  one-sixth  size  ; 
leaves,  natural  size;  fruit  and  achenium,  x 8. 

Plate 25,  R.  altissimus,Wood.  —  Habit,  one-sixth  size; 
leaf,  half  size ;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size  ;  achenium,  x8. 

Plate  26,  R.  salicifolius,  Weinm.  —  Habit  sketches,  one- 
sixth  size;  leaf ,  half  size  ;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size; 
two  fruits  and  achenium,  x8. 

Plate  27,  R.  Berlandieri,  Meisn.  —  Habit, one-sixth  size ; 
leaves,  half  size;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size;  fruit  and 
achenium,  x8. 

Plate  28,  R.  conglomeratus,  Murr.  —  Young  plant,  one- 
sixth  size  (the  branches  become  much  more  elongated  and 
spreading);  leaf ,  half  size  ;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size; 
fruit  and  achenium,  x8. 

Plate  29,  R.  pulcher,  L.  —  Habit  of  young  and  old  plants, 
one-sixth  size ;  leaves,  half  size  ;  fruiting  branch,  natural 
size;  fruit  and  achenium,  x 8. 

Plate  30,  7?.  obtusifolius,  L.  —  Habit,  one-sixth  size; 
leaf,  half  size  ;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size  ;  fruit  and  ache- 
nium, x8. 

Plate 31,  R.  crispus  x  obtusifolius  (R.  acutus,  L).— 
Habit,  one-sixth  size  ;  leaf,  half  size  ;  fruiting  branch,  nat- 
ural size ;  two  fruits,  x  4. 

Plate  32,  R.  persicarioides,  L.  — Habit,  one-sixth  size; 
leaf,  half  size ;  fruiting  branch,  natural  size ;  fruit  and  ache- 
nium, x  8. 

Plate  33,  R.  bucephalophorus,  L. — Habit,  half  size; 
leaves  and  fruiting  branch,  natural  size;  fruit  and  ache- 
nium, x8. 

7 


98 


MISSOURI  BOTANICAL   GARDEN, 


INDEX  TO  SPECIES  OF  RUMEX. 


Synonymes  in  parentheses. 


Acetosa,  75,  78. 
Acetosella,  76. 
acutus,  (93). 
altissimus,  86. 
aquaticus,  82. 
arcticus,  (82). 
Arizonicus,  (80). 
Berlandieri,  89. 
Britannica,  83,  87. 
bucephalophorus,  94. 
Claytonii,  (87). 
conglomeratus,  90. 
crispus,  75,  84. 
crispatulus,  (94). 
domesticus,  (82). 
Engelmanni,  (77,  78). 
Floridanus,  86. 
Geyeri,  78. 


hnstatulus,  77. 
hybrids,  75,  92. 
hymenosepalus,  76,  80. 
longifolius,  (81,  82). 
maritimus,  (93). 
obtusifolius,  90,  91. 
occidentalis,  81. 
orbiculatus,  (83). 
pallidus,  (87). 
Patientia,  82. 
paucifolius,  (78). 
persicarioides,  93. 
pratensis,  (93). 
pulcher,  85,  91. 
salicifolius,  75,  80,  87,  (94), 
sanguineus,  90,  (92). 
venosus,  79. 
verticillatus,  85,  86. 


REFT.  MO.  EOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


RUAIEX    ACETOSELLA. 


KEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


PLATE  14. 


RUM  EX    HASTATULUS. 


KEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GAED.,  1892. 


PLATE  15. 


RUMEX    GEYERI. 


KKl'T.  MO.  BOX.  GAKD.,  1892. 


11UMEX    ACETOSA. 


REFT.  MO.  HOT    GARIX,  1892. 


KUMEX    VENOSUS. 


REPT.  MO.  EOT.  GAUD.,  1892. 


KUMEX     IIYMEXOSEPALUS. 


KEPT.  MO.  BOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


1!(JMEX    OCCIDENTALIS. 


KEPT.  MO.  BOT.  GARD.,  1892- 


PLATE  20. 


UUMEX    PATIENTIA. 


KEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


RUMEX    BRITANNICA. 


REFT.  MO.  BOT.  GARD 


RUMEX   CRISPUS. 


KEPT.  MO.  BOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


RUMEX   VERTICILLATUS. 


REPT.  MO.  BOT.  CARD., 


RUMEX    FLOR1DANUS. 


KEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


PLATE  25. 


RUMEX    ALTISSIMUS. 


REFT.  MO.  EOT.  CARD.,  1892. 


PLATE  26. 


RUMEX    SAL1CIFOLIUS. 


KEPT.  MO.  BOX.  CARD., 


RUMEX    BERLANDIERI. 


KEPT.  MO.  DOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


RUMEX    CONGLOMEKATUS. 


KEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


RUiMKX    PUJ.CHER. 


KEPT.  MO.  BOT.  GAKD.,  1892. 


HUMEX   OBTUBIFOLIUS. 


EEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


PLATE  31. 


RUMEX    OBTUSIFOLIUS    x    CRISPUS. 


KEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GARD.,  1892. 


PLATE 


HUM  EX    PERS1CARIOIDES. 


KEPT.  MO.  EOT.  GARU.,  1892. 


RUMEX    BUCEPHALOPHORUS. 


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